The Best Friend
by ordinaryencounters
Summary: He realised his feelings for her. He was just too afraid.
1. Chapter 1

He wasn't sure when it happened.

Was it the time spent together on fortnight weekends when they gathered at each other's place? Or was it the time when Daisuke openly pursued her with such ferocity that it woke him out of his own oblivion? Maybe it was the Dark Ocean episode! He knew instinctively something was wrong with her, and that must be a sign, right? Or, it could be the moment when she held onto his wrist and refused to let him be taken by Piedmon?

_No, that couldn't be it. I was just 8. I couldn't possibly like her that way_.

But Takeru Takaishi knew it had happened. She was sitting opposite him across one of their university's cafeteria table, blushing slightly under Miyako Inoue's interrogation about a boy, and all the blond could feel at the instance was how much he did not want to know what was going on.

Yet he had to. He couldn't help it.

"When did this happen? Why don't I know what this conversation is about?"

He had said it too quickly. It had slipped out of his tongue before he could think of whether it was appropriate. The blue-eyed blond swallowed hard and hastily attempted a quizzical expression. He hoped the two girls did not find his sudden interjection strange and demanding, because Takeru Takaishi do not do brusque.

"Well…" Hikari Yagami started, a shy grin slowly appearing whilst her brown eyes widened with excitement. "It was a few weeks ago. Sorry Teeks, I really didn't think it was a big deal. Truly!"

Hikari bit her lower lip and looked pleadingly at him, and all he could muster at the moment was a smile to feign his forgiveness.

"Yea, until he started dropping you secret love notes, and that you actually like him!" Miyako exclaimed with such enthusiasm, it almost made Takeru looked like a scrooge for a best friend.

But he did feel like a scrooge. He was not very welcoming of this news. Not a bit, not at all. His insides felt like tightened knots, and he became extremely conscious of his posture and movement. His body was in a constant struggle of tensed and relaxed, and his throat and mouth were going dry.

He was trying very hard to process all the information that was thrown to him just a minute ago – There's a boy pursuing Hikari. His name is Shoji Harada. He's two years their senior, and the pitcher of their university's varsity baseball team. And Hikari liked him.

_She likes him!_ Takeru thought angrily.

To say he was baffled was an understatement. His best friend had never really shown much romantic interest towards the male population she had come across, even through high school. She had rejected all her suitors including Daisuke Motomiya, who pursued her fervently for two full years. It became such a challenge for boys to win her heart that most people gave in to the thought that Takeru was the reason for all the rejections she had made. Slowly, but surely, Takeru had gladly accepted the idea that they were both waiting for the other to break the silence on taking their platonic relationship to the next level. Yet, he held back. He was too afraid, too contented with how things were. He was not ready for change if change was not necessary. Until this Shoji person appeared from thin air to ruin it all.

"I'm so happy for you, you have absolutely no idea! Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to go on a double date with Ken and I? Now it's going to come true!" Miyako sighed loudly, gazing into nothingness with a big silly smile.

"But – Hikari isn't dating the guy yet," Takeru added. "They are not together or anything… Right?" His gaze switched from Miyako to Hikari, half of him wanting to reaffirm this fact, while the other half desperately wanted his best friend to soothe his fears.

Instead, she did the opposite. She tilted her head down shyly, and her face started to flush again. "I agreed to a date next weekend with him, Teeks."

"B-but how long do you guys know each other?! I don't even know who this person is and you just agreed to go on a date with a stranger two years older than you? He could be dangerous." Takeru spat, his words flowing out fast and his voice rising a little too high then it should have. He immediately regretted it.

Miyako's eyes widened in shock at Takeru's sudden outburst, and Hikari's smile faded.

"I'm sorry Teeks, I really am. I wanted to tell you. We briefly met when I was rushing my assignment in the library that night when you had basketball practice. The library was packed and I saw an empty seat next to him so we shared the table. We talked and we clicked, but I didn't think much of it. We were all so busy with school," Hikari sighed. She was hoping Takeru would be as excited as she was. Shoji would be the first boy she ever agreed to date, and it was nerve-wrecking as it is without the pressure from this or her brother. "Shoji didn't start messaging me until few days back. We really connected. I wouldn't say yes to the date if I know it wasn't right. You know me…"

"I'm… sorry, too… I just… It took me by surprise. You know I'm always watching out for you, right?" The blond said, smiling ever slightly to hide his now broken heart.

Hikari brightened up. "Just as long as you don't become like Onii-chan," She teased him.

Not knowing what to say, he forced a smile right back.

_I won't… I want to be more than just an Onii-chan, I want to be more than just your best friend. I want to be more._


	2. Chapter 2

It was Thursday, a day the Ishida/Takaishi brothers agreed to make time for one another on a fortnightly basis. It was also a day after Takeru had heard one of the worst news he had to come to terms with – the best friend he liked was falling in love with another. Sitting opposite an older male boring similar pale complexion, blue eyes, and honey blond streaks to him, he absent-mindedly probed his food with his chopsticks.

"The food's not going to eat itself," Yamato Ishida, his older brother stated matter-of-factly.

Takeru gave his food one last poke before putting his chopsticks down on the table. His appetite had disappeared before it even came for the third time since yesterday afternoon.

"How did you know when was the perfect time to tell Sora-chan how you felt?" Takeru blurted out. He knew his brother and Sora Takenouchi were extremely close friends before they became an item. If they worked out despite the awkwardness of Taichi Yagami's past affection for Sora, it must be possible, right?

Half amused and half excited, Yamato grinned. He knew his brother was bothered by something. He just did not expect it to be about a girl.

"Who's the lucky girl?"

"You're not answering my question."

"C'mon, who's she? Tell me or I won't tell you."

"Never mind, forget that I asked," Takeru sighed, his eyes wandered away slowly from his companion and stared blankly into the far distant.

"There's never a perfect timing, 'keru. You say it when you feel like it is appropriate to the situation. Maybe it's the setting, like after a date… or it could be more pressing… when you know the person you like could end up being with someone else if you don't say it." Yamato answered. He was not quite sure if his last sentence was a good advice, given that he felt like it was a jerk move after he did it for Sora against his buddy Taichi. It did nevertheless land him the girl of his dreams, and he would wish the same happen to his brother.

Takeru nodded, still looking rather grim. "Thanks Onii-chan."

"Hikari told Taichi that you've practically charmed the entire female population in your school. You have nothing to worry about, alright?" Yamato continued, not knowing the irony of his words.

Takeru grimaced. It was the kind of embarrassing but sweetest thing Hikari would say about him to everyone else. He knew his best friend too well. True or not, he could not care less. He would whole-heartedly trade the affections of these girls' for Hikari's alone if he could.

"That's impossible, you know that. We just started university…"

"So… Who is she?!" Yamato tried again, curiosity peaking and his grin creeping back.

The younger of the two rolled his eyes in response, his lips twitching upwards into a weak smile he could not hide. He knew Yamato would not let this go. And he was right.

"Aww come on! Can't I get a little insider info on who this girl might be? If you're not telling me, I'm just gonna ask Hikari anyway," Yamato concluded.

The two families have dinners occasionally, alternating between the Yagami, Takaishi, and Ishida residences. It had been a five year tradition turned into a norm no one had objected to. Takeru was sure that if his brother wanted to pry his private life out from his best friend, he would, and he could. That was the last thing Takeru wanted, not because he was afraid to share, but because Hikari would not even know.

"Onii-chan, please… don't ask her," Takeru pleaded. "She doesn't know anything."

Yamato raised an eyebrow as he sipped on the water from a pretty ceramic cup. The news had come as a surprise since he always thought the two kids shared everything together.

"Alright, fine, I'll stop asking," Yamato said with a shrug. "You'll still want to look your best so eat up your food. Just don't forget to introduce her to us soon."

Not sure what to say, Takeru picked up his chopsticks. He would try to whet his appetite for his brother's sake, whilst the words of advice were swimming in his head. Maybe he should step up his game? Yes, he should step up his game! No one knew Hikari like he did, so how could a stranger she just met stand a chance at winning her heart?

With every minute, Takeru grew more determined. He had not felt this surge of certainty in a long time. It was almost nostalgic – almost reminiscent of the days when he was resolute of Patamon's evolution. However, he would not let his determination become the worst of him like before. Holding his chopsticks a little tighter, sitting up a little straighter, the younger blond of the two had his mind set. He would get the girl. He would prepare for what was to come for the next few weeks.

Except, he was not.

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><p><strong>Hey guys, thank you for taking time out to read this little story! I haven't post on Fanfiction for a very long time, so don't be afraid to write a review telling me how you feel about it, and any suggestions would be inspiring. ;)<strong>

**To reviewers:**  
><strong>shrimproll - thank you for the first review :) I also feel very sad when I write the story, but this will be a Takari so he won't be friendzoned for too long :P<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

"See you next week Takeru!"

"You too, Kyo!" Takeru replied, waving back at his school mate who had done the same. He had finished his last lesson – _Literary Classics: Texts and Traditions_ – for the week, and the boy could not be more relieved.

The eighteen-year-old loved his major in Japanese Literature, but his mind had been preoccupied with thoughts of his best friend. He was not sure how he should convey his feelings to her, and he was definitely not sure how she would take it if he did. While these considerations continued to confound him, Takeru slowly gathered his stationery and notebook. Unknowingly, he let out a sigh. There were many ways for him to show his affections, but none of them could make it less awkward if he did.

He checked his watch. _4.10pm_. Hikari's class would be over in 20 minutes. They had planned their timetable upon entering the same university, hoping to accompany each other when their classes were over. However, extra-curricular activities often got in their plans as school days progressed. He could not be certain today was a good day to walk her home, because he intentionally did not check with her. If Heaven's on his side, she would be. And hopefully, she would be surprised.

The blond bit his lower lip. He was nervous as hell. When did he become so tense? Hastily shoving his items into his tan haversack, Takeru walked out of his classroom towards where Hikari's would be.

_Please don't act like a fool. Please just stay normal._

He had the two sentences repeating themselves in his head, as if the constant chanting would magically resolve his anxiety. He thought he must have looked like he was making a big deal out of it, but his physical reaction stated otherwise. His hands were getting clammy as he walked down the corridors, passing groups of chattering students engrossed in their own little worlds. His heart was thumping a little faster than usual, and when he was just a minute away from his destination, he could almost swore he felt the rhythmic pumping of blood through his veins.

_Don't say anything that's going to make you look way more ridiculous than that day. Just – Don't._

He took in a deep breathe, then let it go. It helped eased a little of his nerves. From a short distance away, he heard the familiar sounds of chairs dragging across epoxy flooring. Hikari's class is officially over. Like himself, a few others have stood outside the small-sized room, purposefully waiting for their friends or partners to finish class.

As Takeru approached the back of the classroom's exterior, it happened.

Hikari Yagami had walked out from the front door, her face lit up seeing a taller male before her. He had tousled jet-black hair, and stood almost a head taller than her. Donning a simple white baseball t-shirt with navy blue sleeves and casual brown Bermuda shorts, the guy had effortlessly looked well dressed for an outfit that would have looked ordinary on many others. Playing baseball for years must have aid in his favour, for he was lean yet well-built. He smiled at her widely, his strong jawbone handsomely defining his face.

Takeru stopped short. A pressure had built in his chest, and the air suddenly became too thick for breathing. The world seemed to slow down as he took in the truth in front of him – the girl he liked was beaming at another boy.

_He must be… _

"Shoji!" Hikari greeted with a polite bow, smiling in return.

Shoji bowed in return. Their politeness did not mask their delight, a revelation that felt like a stab in Takeru's chest as he stood at a corner, feeling out of place. He wanted to walk away. Walk as far as he can from the scene and pretended it never did happen. Yet, Takeru was glued to the spot, his weakening legs losing the strength to take him away.

The two spoke softly. They looked nervous, but it was not the bad or awkward kind. It was the kind two attracted persons would behave. They exchanged small smiles and conversations, oblivious to the occasional passing by of random students, and the blond who stood just a metre and a half away.

Takeru's heart was sinking. Things were happening too fast. It was not supposed to be this fast!

"Teeks!"

Their date was not till next week. He thought he had a week to his favour.

"Teeks!" Hikari tried again. She had just noticed her best friend, who seemed to be in a daze. "Takeru! Takeru Takaishi!"

Takeru jerked his head to the sound of his full name that jolted him from his stupor. He saw her waving at him, so he smiled weakly in return. Now he was not sure what he was to do. The last thing he wanted was to meet this bloke, but he had no choice now. He gave a small wave at the two and walked towards them.

_Should I play it cool? Or eye-ball him down… let him know she is out of bounds? How do I – _

"Hey! You didn't tell me you'll be dropping by?" Hikari asked, looking exceptionally pretty with her chocolate-brown eyes widened by surprise and genuine interest.

He stared at her, lost for words.

"I – I was free… So… I was hoping to catch you."Takeru replied, fumbling for the right words to say, but failing because he did not know what his intentions were. "You know, have _our_ walk back. Like _always_."

The blond was a mess, but he inwardly smirked. He had unintentionally emphasized his relationship with Hikari, and he could feel the sudden withdrawal of Shoji.

"Hi, I'm Takeru," Takeru feeling confident, said, while extending his hand towards the older male for introductions. He had never been fond of the traditional Japanese greetings, except for formal occasions, due to his exposure to Western cultures from his mother.

However, Takeru's hand was left hanging in mid-air as Shoji bowed. From the corner of Takeru's eyes, he could see Hikari frowning. He knew she hated tensions and conflicts, and the last thing he wanted was to upset her.

_What an ass… _

Forcing a smile, Takeru took back his hand and bowed in return. He could see Hikari smiling again.

"My name is Shoji Harada."

Hikari blushed at the sound of Shoji saying his name.

"I can finally put a face to the name," Takeru said respectfully.

"Shoji, Takeru's my best friend." Hikari explained. For a moment, Takeru thought he had heard things.

_Was I never mentioned to this dude before?!_

"We've practically grown up together," Takeru smiled weakly, trying to hide his hurting pride. He could not believe how insignificant he was to her, that she would have never talked about him to the guy she liked.

Hikari nodded in agreement to Takeru's statement with a smile. It never failed to amaze her how much of their childhood were spent together. Their similar experiences drew them towards one another, becoming topics of interest in their friendship. Yet, these things scared her. Spending a portion of her life immersed in the Digital World only brought her closer to people who had alike encounters. She did not want that. She wanted to know what it would be like to be close to someone who was never a part of the Digital World – someone from the outside.

"Teeks, you should have messaged me…" She grimaced, dragging her sentence in an attempt to hint to her best friend her declination to walk home with him this time round.

"Hikari, it's fine, I didn't tell you either… Maybe… next time?" Shoji said, disappointment heavy in his voice.

Shoji shifted his weight nervously from one foot to the other. By now, Takeru could easily tell that the older male was feeling out of place. He also knew that he could easily make Shoji walk away from them by dropping more suggestive statements, but his heart softened when his eyes met Hikari's. As much as his heart wanted to take that option, he knew his best friend would be crushed. Making sure Hikari was happy was all that mattered at that moment, if not every moment.

"Oh! Crap!" Takeru cried. "I… forgot I have something on! I… had an appointment with Mr Himura!" Takeru quickly glanced at his watch, faking a worried expression before continuing his lie. "Sorry Kari! I thought I was free! Shoji-san, please make sure Hikari get home safe. Arigato!"

Takeru bowed his farewell to Shoji, before giving Hikari his cheekiest grin. He gave them a small wave then turned his back from them, his grin slowly fading as he walked off.

The voice inside him cursed him, calling him names – for walking away from the girl he wanted so much to be with; for leaving her alone with another guy instead; and for giving that guy his chance to advance his relationship with her.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Thank you to everyone who had read the story so far, and thank you so much for the reviews :)

You may have realised the story is written in Takeru's POV, so I am keeping a lot of Hikari's POV away on this, and only showing you snippets of Hikari's thoughts/feelings through Takeru's eyes. The story progression will be not as fast as you think, because I really want to take the time to showcase their best friend relationship before Hikari sees Takeru romantically, and also show how Takeru go through these changes to become ready as her romantic partner.

Sorry if the past few chapters were not very long too. I just write them and stop at where I feel appropriate to the situation, lol. I have the next chapter written and it is 2.5x longer than this chapter, so please forgive me for now! If you can share your thoughts on my writing style, it'd be good for me as a way to improve too! So review, flame, rant if you can! :D

To reviewers:  
><strong>CloakBlade<strong> - Thank you :D I'm leaving Yamato (a little) clueless because he had dismissed Takeru and Hikari as a couple since they remained best friends for so long :P  
><strong>shrimproll<strong> - My heart aches whenever I write this story :/ he will get his happy ending - not so soon, but eventually ;)  
><strong>Carupin<strong> - :D update is here! a short one though, but a longer one coming soon! 

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><p>The next few days had gone by very slowly for Takeru. It was as though time had dragged itself so as to make him realise his stupidity for not taking his chances when he could. Lying on his bed, the blond had one hand supporting his head while the other clutching onto his mobile phone. He raised his arm to his face to check his phone for what could have been the hundredth time for that afternoon. Hikari still had not replied his message.<p>

He was not usually like this. On any other Tuesday afternoon, Takeru would sleep in till ten in the morning because he had no classes. After lazing for a while on bed, he then decided to wash up and find something to eat. Normally his mother would have left food for him to heat up, and then there were those days when his mother would be too busy for that. That day was today.

When he realized he had no ready-made brunch, his day just became a little darker. He never minded cooking a meal, but cooking was not the least bit therapeutic to him. So he decided to go back to his room and message Hikari.

It was a simple message. Something along the line of 'Hey!' and 'Don't fall asleep!". He knew she had morning classes today. He also knew she did not have the habit of replying messages immediately unless she was bored. Yet, Takeru was frustrated. In his mind, he could picture Hikari and Shoji sending messages back and forth. Even if it was all imaginary, he could not help but feel exasperated.

The day after Shoji walked her home, Hikari had gone over to Takeru's place for their usual gathering. He was so bothered by the incident of Shoji turning up for Hikari that when his doorbell rang on Saturday morning, he had leapt off the living room couch and went straight for the door. He almost thought he had lost her forever.

They spent the whole afternoon doing what they always do – movies and card games. Everything felt normal, as if Shoji Harada had not declared his love for Hikari, and Hikari did not reciprocate her feelings for him. Her phone had kept buzzing with messages, which Hikari politely checked intermittently. He knew who the messages were from seeing her smiles, but he did not want to ask. He thought that if he ignored it hard enough, the name he dreaded to hear would not be mentioned. That was until his best friend decided to ask him a favour:

"Teeks, are you free on Thursday?" She asked excitedly.

"Yeaaa…" Takeru replied with uncertainty.

Takeru remembered their classes would be cancelled for that day and the day after for 'Game Day' – A sporting event of 89 years tradition between theirs and a rivaling university. Initially started out as a friendly day event for sports, 'Game Day' had slowly evolved into the current two-day affair both universities took pride in in sending their best players to pit against each other. It was also what kept Takeru extremely occupied for the past few weeks training for the basketball tournament.

Knowing that fact made him nervous. He knew Hikari was not referring to his basketball match that she had promised to go, because that was on Friday, not Thursday. Thursday was baseball.

"Please please pleaseeeee accompany me to the baseball game?" Hikari begged, giving her best friend her best impression of puppy-dog eyes.

Takeru's heart sank. Hikari had never been a sport enthusiast, and would only go for basketball games because of him. Her sudden interest had only one motivation, and that motivation was Shoji Harada.

"Shoji invited me to watch him play. He gave me two tickets so I won't have to go by myself."

"But-I don't even watch baseball! I wouldn't know what's going on."

He had lied. Sure he did not watch baseball, but he knew the basics of it. Baseball is too popular a sport in Japan and in their university for him to ignore it entirely. Nevertheless, Takeru's ridicule of baseball caused Hikari to laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" Takeru asked, raising a brow in question.

"There's no one worse than me when it comes to getting sports, Teeks. You know that. I just want to get to know Shoji better. I want to see his world."

Her reply felt like a punch to his chest. Takeru had never seen Hikari this determined to know someone better, and his heart ached knowing this person was not him.

"We can look like two silly fools together at the stadium." Hikari tried again, reaching her hand out to hold his. "Please?"

And he agreed.

_Damn it._

Takeru hit his bed with his hand that was clenched into a fist. His inner voice threw more curses at himself over the Saturday incident. He could have insisted on not going. He could have found some excuse to make them not go to the game at all. The blond blamed himself for not being able to fight against the touch of her hand on his, for wanting to make her happy regardless of his own. Most of all, he blamed himself for being her best friend.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks to all my readers! The new chapter is here :D This is a much longer chapter to make up for all the shorter ones and the wait! Please review, rant, comment, flame - anything, if you can :)

To reviewers:  
><strong>shrimproll<strong> - more broken hearts after this chapter! :P  
><strong>Carupin<strong> - your English is so good, I can't tell it's bad at all :) Hope you enjoy this longer chapter!  
><strong>CloakBlade<strong> - Thank you :) I wanted it one side to also make it more mysterious, because we won't for sure know what goes on in Hikari's mind (except through Takeru's). I feel so mean making him suffer, but it will be worth it :D

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><p>"Wow…"<p>

Hikari was wide-eyed and in awe. They were both an hour early for the baseball game, but the crowd was already pouring in to the stadium, anxious to get a good seat for the televised match. Takeru, who was very hesitant with this little trip, was also largely amused by the game's popularity. He was aware that the baseball game is the most hyped event for 'Game Day', but he did not know it was _this_ big of a deal.

As they pushed and shoved their way through the crowd, the two best friends repeatedly mumbled 'sorry's to the people they accidentally bumped into. Most of those who wore red, which is their university's colour, did not seem to mind, but the ones in green appeared irritated. Takeru did not fault them. Tension was admittedly high between the rival universities and him wearing his university's cap and jacket did not help to lessen it. Hikari also appeared in a mixed of reds and whites. She had tied her very short hair into a tiny ponytail, loosely secured with a red ribbon. Her top was white but her shorts were red, and that easily gave away who they were rooting for.

Most of the better seats were taken up, leaving Hikari worried. Takeru, on the other hand, felt awful for wanting them to not get the best views of the home plate. He was sure that the less he sees of Shoji, the less unwanted negativity he would harbour for this guy. After what seemed like a long five minutes of indecisiveness and cluelessness, Hikari suggested the seats behind the first base, much to his dismay. Having a smaller group made finding seats easier, and sitting at a position right behind the first base was almost as good as a nightmare to the blond.

"This is… crazy!" Hikari said aloud after they took their seats. "I didn't think it would be so packed!"

"You must be _ichinensei_." A guy sitting two seats away said after overhearing Hikari's comment. "Game Day's baseball games are always like that. It is too good to miss!"

Hikari nodded with a smile, still stunned by the elaborateness of the game. Sitting beside her, Takeru frowned. He felt so small in the stadium full of students and general public, all waiting to watch a stupid game Shoji was a part of. He secretly wished his basketball games were this big, and then maybe he would have left a more impressive impression on her.

When the game started, Takeru noticed Hikari craning her neck for better views. Shoji was not sent out yet as a pitcher for his team, which added onto Hikari's already confused concept of the game. While she tried so hard to watch the game, Takeru sneaked a few glances at her. He had never seen her in such a state of confusion and determination, and he thought to himself how cute she looked. His lips curled into a smile. He watched her as the occasional wind lightly picked up her hairs, but his heart felt so heavy at the same time. He wished he knew when he had liked her this much romantically, so maybe he could seize the opportunities when they present themselves. Now that she had found someone she likes, he was even more afraid of ruining their friendship.

It was their first ever baseball game, but it did not take them long to immerse themselves with the cheering crowd. Whenever their team bats, the cheerleaders standing on the lowest rung of the bleachers in their section would lead them to sing and chant. They were also given free tiny flags emblazoned with their school logo, and complimentary plastic bats to imitate the sounds of clapping when hit together. When the opposing team bats, they would promptly take their seats and watch the game respectfully. The atmosphere, albeit tense, was very well-mannered.

"OH MY GOD!" A squeal suddenly came from their back. "SHOJI HARADA!"

Hikari turned around in search for the source of the high-pitched voice. Takeru winced. Shoji had taken his place in the baseball diamond, much to the delight of what sounded like three fan girls sitting right behind them. Hikari turned to Takeru and lightly chuckled. Takeru returned her laughter with a grin on pretense. They were not expecting Shoji to have fan girls; not that it surprised Takeru much.

"Shoji-san is _so_ perfect," Another female voice sighed loudly.

Disheartened, Takeru glanced at Hikari, who seemed highly amused by the conversation exchanged behind them while she tried to watch the game. He could tell she was nervous, one of her hands unconsciously twisting the hem of her shorts. Takeru wondered what would happen if he were to reach out and hold her hand. Would she smile at him and hold it tight, or would he startle her and make things awkward? The blond adjusted his cap as he looked onto the field. He had never heard of Shoji Harada before since starting university, but from the roaring crowd and cheers, he could tell that the guy was popular for the sport.

Hikari shivered slightly from the winds that had begun to pick up their speeds. Instinctively, he took off his coat and draped it over his companion. It was nothing particularly unusual. Takeru had done this so many times that she would also accept the gesture without any words exchanged. She slipped her arms through the sleeves, letting the oversized jacket enveloped her in his warmth.

"Are you hungry? I'm going to buy some food."

"I didn't even realise I was hungry!" Hikari said, placing her hand over her stomach. "Can you get me a bento box?"

Takeru nodded with a grin. They had a very light breakfast, which would not have last them through the afternoon. He was also more than happy to escape the crowd that was now cheering for the guy he least liked. Takeru took his time to get to the concessions stand, dodging more students in reds and greens, their hands full with hotdogs, bento boxes, soda, and packets of chips.

"Takeru! Takeru!" A familiar deep voice called out.

Upon hearing his name, Takeru began looking around and saw a pair of hands waving in front of him from a short distance. He recognised the short reddish brown hair and the lean stature of Koushiro Izumi, who was dressed in green to support his own school.

"Hey!" Takeru greeted his former Digital World comrade, delighted to spot a familiar face amongst the crowd. "I didn't know you watch baseball?"

"I don't!" Koushiro plainly replied. "I do come for certain matches during Game Day to work on programming the live streaming for broadcast. We're also working on a phone app for this year, did you try it out?"

"Oh… Wow, I didn't even know there's an app." He also did not know Koushiro was working on sports related computer work.

"Actually," Koushiro's voice had dropped to almost a whisper. "This is just a cover up. They're not giving me the green light to researching on Digital World yet. The department is very unsure and they kept thinking that if we were to cross our data systems too much with the other side, we would end up with yet another catastrophe. And I don't disagree! So… I'm just bidding time and getting more access to the school's data system."

"I didn't know you watch baseball though?" Koushiro continued.

"I'm just here for Hikari"

"She watches baseball?!"

Takeru laughed at Koushiro's stunned expression.

"No, it's… A long story."

"Well, another time then? I have to go check on the computers."

The two teenagers nodded and bid farewell. Takeru resumed finding the bento boxes and bought two from a lovely lady at one of the stands. When he got back to their seats, Hikari had picked up the plastic bats like everyone else, rhythmically hitting the bats together to cheer on the team. Lifting his food a little higher, the blond politely apologised to the groups sitting along their row as he cautiously moved past them.

When he finally found his way to his seat, Takeru settled down and passed a bento to his best friend. With her bats in mid-air, she gave him the biggest smile.

"Hey I got your bento."

"Thanks Teeks! Where did you go? You were gone for so long." The girl put down her plastic bats and took the bento box. She opened the lid to reveal an assortment of sushi and pickled vegetables. "This looks sooo good!"

"I saw Koushiro." Takeru had also opened his bento box and began to eat his way through.

"Mmm yummy!" Hikari took a bite from her tamago sushi with a satisfied smile. "What was Koushiro-san doing here? I didn't know he watches baseball?"

Takeru laughed. He thought it was funny how none of them were interested in baseball, but had all seemingly ended up here at the stadium anyway.

"He doesn't. He was just here to help out with more computer work because they haven't granted him access to his research yet."

"I wish they realized how incredibly talented Koushiro-san is. And how important his research is."

Takeru nodded.

"I wish so, too."

There were too many people fearful of the Digital World, because humans could never be at ease with what they do not know. But they got it. All of them who fought with their Digimon for the Digital World got it. They all shared a bond no one could ever understand, and he wished Hikari saw it the way he did. Shoji Harada was never a part of the Digital World.

_So how could he understand her?_

After what seemed like fourteen hours and a few dozens of yawns between Takeru and Hikari, the game finally ended the nine-innings game with the reds winning 4–3. As the players lined up to bow and shake hands, people began to stand up to leave. Occasionally, someone would start a song sang along by the rest, creating another wave of excitement. The two best friends also followed the crowd as they gathered their items to leave.

"Urm… Teeks?"

"Mmhmm?" Takeru said, half listening and half concentrating on getting them out of the stadium.

"Shoji said he wants to see me if I came to his game…" Hikari's cheeks flushed immediately.

Takeru froze in his steps. Hearing the way she spoke of his name – so soft with a hint of shyness – made him extremely upset.

"Maybe we can go over there?" Hikari said, pointing at the barricades near the players' entrance, where a small crowd has slowly gathered.

It hurt him that she could not see his internal struggle. Were they not best friends? But Hikari was too blinded by her infatuation. Before he could register what to say, the brunette was already leading them straight to the barricades, with Takeru trailing behind reluctantly.

And there stood Shoji Harada, covered in dirt and bruises, hugging his team members and cheering for their victory. Despite the big grin plastered on his face and his continuous waving at his fans, the baseball player noticed Hikari. She beamed and waved at him. He jogged right to where she stood, the only thing separating the two being the barricade.

The two of them exchanged words, inaudible to Takeru who chose to stay a distance away. He was not fond of them being so close, much less interested in what they have to say. Instead, he shoved his hands into his side pockets and waited. He forced himself to look away, but his eyes seemed to have a mind of their own, voluntarily wandering back to the duo. In one of the few seconds he looked over, he saw Shoji shot a look in his direction. He realized Hikari still had his jacket draped over her, and this made Takeru's heart did a tiny double flip of joy. Between a guy and another, and his past experiences with Hikari's suitors, he knew the senior saw him as a threat.

Takeru had never outrightly sought for trouble. For as long as he could remember, he felt that unnecessary drama always found a way to him. And he would always try his best to resolve these conflicts. He was always the one trying to bridge his broken family closer, and always the one trying to lighten up tensions between his friends. When any random guy was to challenge him for Hikari's affections, Takeru would just laugh and politely tell them he is just a best friend. But this time round, it was different. This time round, Hikari was reciprocating her feelings for her suitor, and Takeru did not care if Shoji saw him as a threat – because he wanted him to.

One by one, the baseball players have left the field for their locker room, so Hikari bided farewell to the boy she likes. The blond caught Shoji shooting another unpleasant look towards him, but his best friend seemed oblivious to it. She walked over to Takeru, looking like she had just struck a million dollar lottery from the way she was smiling so hard. He knew she was giddy with happiness, the kind that overwhelmed a person so much that it cannot be contained. He forced a smile – almost becoming a norm these days – because he did not want her to question him.

"'Keru," Hikari said, using the nickname she saved for serious or special moments. "I never thought I'd like a boy this much…"

_What about me? How much do you like me? Why isn't it more than him?_

Millions of questions came and went. He wished he could ask them aloud – ask her why it was not him – but no words came out. As they went home together, Takeru avoided anything on Shoji Harada. They talked about Takeru's preparation for the upcoming basketball game, complained about their never-ending assignments, before falling into a comfortable silence both enjoy. On the train ride back, she rested her head on his shoulders and fell asleep like many times before. Only this time round, everything was beginning to change.


	6. Chapter 6

Most people have a choice of sport they like. For Takeru Takaishi, it was basketball. His first encounter with the sport happened when he was still a child. He would pass by a public basketball court near his old home whenever his mother took him to the convenience store around the corner. He always wound up looking towards the court, where the sounds of screeching shoes, ball hitting ground, and shouts from team players drew his attention every single time without fail as his mother held his tiny hand and walked across the court.

Of course, it was not only until the later stages of his elementary school did Takeru found himself playing basketball. While he was not flawless during his first few tries at it, his ability to easily dribble the ball as he ran across the court caught the attention of his school's physical education teacher. Before long, Takeru was signed up for basketball trainings after school hours as an extra-curricular activity. He had an affinity with it. Sure it was hard work, but it was hard work Takeru enjoyed. The bonds he forged through team work gave him a sense of belonging. It was almost heartwarming, knowing he had somewhat gained two families – the Chosen Children group and his basketball team – when his immediate one did not work out.

But his very first match he ever had for his university's Game Day was horrible.

The eighteen-year-old was one of the three selected first year students that Coach Kaneko had the confidence to send during the game. Upon knowing the news, Takeru trained vigorously, to the extent of skipping out on social invites in his attempt to strengthen his weaker skills. But they were no use. His efforts went down the drain in a single moment when he spotted Hikari in the crowd, busy typing and smiling at her phone when he was expecting her to watch his game.

And then, he got distracted.

He allowed the rivaling team players to intercept his possession of the ball, and he had the hardest time concentrating on their team defense and offense strategies. By the end of his first quarter in the game, Coach Kaneko had to get him to sit out lest they fall further behind.

He was not sure how or why, but Takeru thought his coach knew that he probably had a bad day; into the third quarter, Coach Kaneko asked him if he were ready to try again. Takeru did not think so, but he had to make up for his bad, and so he went into the game. Albeit better than his first quarter's performance, the second time one was not anywhere near a good indication of Takeru's efforts for his past weeks' of trainings. When the game ended 89–93, the boy blamed himself so bad.

"Hey, I know that look. You did great for the first time, it could be nerves. I know I had that for my first game. Don't beat yourself up, OK!"

"They had a good team. They always have a very good team. We did our best, Takeru."

"We have more victories ahead, Takeru! This is just one defeat, and a very tiny one too!"

The blond was very thankful for his good-natured team. Initially, he thought they were just humouring him. However, he realized that they were genuinely concerned, for they offered to help him if he needed it. Takeru did not want to tell them why he had played so badly during the game, so he politely listened to their advice and tips. When he was done changing and packing in the locker room, he swung his black duffel over his shoulders and exited. And there amongst the small groups of people left in the court was a pleasant surprise – Hikari was one of them. She was seated right behind the railings, hugging her tiny pink backpack on her lap with her eyes closed.

His heart skipped thrice, and his eyes lit. Seeing her waiting for him made him forget every negative thought that swam in his head right when his eyes landed on her while in the midst of his games. For as long as they were best friends, Takeru had never expected anything more or less from Hikari. If she had something urgent to attend to, he never minded her going off early from their hangouts. If she had the time to come watch his games, Takeru would be delighted, but he would also not blame her if she did not stay. He never thought that there would be a day when her waiting for him after his games would mean so much more to him.

"Hey…" Takeru greeted, his voice so soft, as if he was afraid of startling a napping child.

Despite his efforts, Hikari's eyes flew open. Upon seeing who was right in front of her, she smiled and yawned. It was always rare to see Hikari tired in the middle of the day. She may be rather quiet, but the brunette was always ready for any adventure that awaited her. He thought she must have stayed up late the night before, and hated how observant of her he had become lately.

"Hey!" She greeted back casually, stifling another yawn. She slid her backpack on and went about the railings to where Takeru was, before exclaiming, "C'mon, let's go!"

"Where to?" He asked as they walked out of the compound.

"Lunch at Kazan Ramen! I'm starving!"

"And tired?"

She grinned, and it was all it took for Takeru to understand what it meant. However, she said nothing, leaving the boy's mind to run wild in anxiety once more. He thought of whether Hikari had been text messaging Shoji till late, or did the two began late night phone calls or online video chats without him knowing. Oblivious to the effect she has on her best friend, she changed the topic of their conversation. Hikari swung her backpack forwards and pulled out her digital SLR camera, eager to show her photography to him.

"Look, I took some photos of you! I'm going to submit them to the school papers."

Takeru grimaced, but his insides were fluttering knowing she still did notice him.

"I was terrible."

"Were you nervous? I could tell you were out of focus," she teased, not knowing everything had a little something to do with her. "'_Takeru Takaishi is so hot!'_" She squealed, obviously imitating the sounds of others. "The girls around me were so in love with you, I don't think it matters."

The brunette grinned, but rolled her eyes in annoyance. Takeru wondered what it meant. Was she jealous? Or was it just purely tongue-in-cheek? He laughed nervously. After so many years of the opposite sex expressing their attraction to him, he still never really got used to it. In fact, it made him uneasy, because he did not want her to feel like he cared for their attention.

"It was… a little hard to concentrate."

He thought he saw her made a face, but it was one he could not understand. Her facial expression was as blank as a canvas, but yet she looked as if she were thinking very hard. The blond thought of asking her what was on her mind, but changed his mind within seconds. He bit his lower lip in frustration, upset at how frightened he is lately of realities when it comes to his best friend.

After a short ride on the train and an easy walk, the duo reached Kazan Ramen. The ramen shop was nothing elaborate nor fancy. Wedged between a brightly coloured restaurant and a convenience store along a quiet street, Kazan Ramen paled in comparison with its fading banners and dull-looking décor. Its small interior was nonetheless traditional, something that caught Takeru's attention when he accidentally stumbled upon it one day hungry and almost cashless. Since then, Takeru had occasionally brought his friends to the oddly charming hole in the wall, where its food was nothing short of exceptional. Hikari was his first companion to the Kanza Ramen, and with that, the tiny quaint shop had naturally became their go-to.

As Hikari made her way to their usual sitting area at the far end corner that happened to be empty, Takeru placed and paid for their orders. Two bowls of piping hot ramen were served not long after, and the hungry pair wasted no time digging into their meals.

"I miss Kazan Ramen!" Hikari said with a satisfied and contented expression, even though their last visit was only a week ago.

"Nothing like a bowl of ramen at Kazan!" The blond nodded in absolute agreement.

Hikari smiled. She placed her chopsticks on her bowl of half-eaten ramen, had her arms by her side and her posture straightened, and grew serious. Her face carried a worried expression and Takeru immediately noticed the abrupt behaviour. He slowed his eating to a pause, his mouth open mid-way and his chopsticks full of noodles hung in mid-air. He slowly shut his mouth and lowered his chopsticks, sensing his best friend was about to say something he least wanted to hear about.

"You know there's no one else whose opinions I value more of," She started, her brown eyes softened whilst her body seemed to tense up. "Other than Onii-chan, and of course, Mom and Dad…"

Takeru's head involuntarily nodded slowly. His mouth had turned dry and his hands were beginning to get clammy. He felt like what seemed to be a lump in his throat, making it hard for him to say anything in response.

"I never got to ask you how you feel about Shoji… I… was too swept up by everything," She continued, the love-stricken smile that had been appearing for the past few days was surfacing again. "But… I realized there's nothing more important than knowing… you are supporting my decision..."

He had also put his chopsticks down. His eyes flickered between looking into hers and across the room. He could not bear staring into the pair of eyes he had always looked into to tell of all his inner deepest secrets and truths, and lie straight to her face. Takeru swallowed hard and contemplated what he could say. The eighteen-year-old wanted to tell her she was being silly. This could just be an infatuation and it could die off. He wished he could joke about the number of girl fans that could threaten their relationship if Hikari and Shoji were to have one. But those were not what his best friend wanted to hear. She wanted his full support in dating Shoji, and that was the hardest thing he could agree to.

"I… don't know him… very well."

Hikari's face fell. It pained him to see her this way. The boy inwardly sighed. If there were any weakness assessments for him to take, she would undoubtedly be his number one weakness on the list.

"But that does not mean… I don't believe in you and your decisions. I just… want the best for you."

Her smile slowly crept back, much to his relief.

"I'm so nervous, Teeks… I didn't tell anyone but you and Miyako. She is way too excited- you know how she is," Hikari grinned and rolled her eyes in feign annoyance. "She is already assuming tomorrow will go well and has all these crazy plans for me… And- I don't know how or why, but I get these vibes from you… that… you don't want to talk to me about Shoji… You mean too much to me for me to not talk to you about this…"

Takeru was in an excruciating struggle between his heart and his mind. Her words were in and out of his hearing ability, while the loud pounding of his heart grew louder with each second. He had been trying very hard to ignore the fact that Hikari would be going on her first date with another guy for the past few days, but reality struck him hard now that she had spoken about it.

'Thank you…' was all he could muster, before words fell short on him. He felt so useless. He had no words to say, even after she explicitly told him how important it was to her. She looked expectantly at him, yearning him to offer her some forms of reassurance like he would always do.

"No matter what tomorrow brings, I will still be here for you."

The corners of her lips rose. Her eyes twinkled with gratitude; something the duo did not need outright declaration to be aware of. Setting her concerns and worries aside, Hikari continued eating her ramen. The same could not happen for her companion, whose hunger had surely dissolved after the conversation. He looked on as she ate, his heart heavy with regrets and 'what ifs'. What if he had tried pursuing her earlier before all these had taken place? What if he had not been occupied with basketball so she would not have gone to the library alone? What if she had never met Shoji? Would things have turned out better for him?

When Hikari noticed he had stopped eating, she asked him if he was okay. He had never left a bowl of Kazen ramen unfinished, and knew it was unusual. But the boy refused to let her worry. He told her he was fine, just a little too tired to eat. She grew concerned, insisting he needed more rest now that Game Day was over. He wished she could stay concern about him forever, where Shoji Harada was out of the picture – out of their picture. He knew it was selfish of him, wanting to keep her by his side, but maybe that was love. He was only just beginning to realise it.

He sent her home after their dinner, and tried his best to not look or behave affected as Hikari went on about the boy she likes so much. All the while he prayed her date tomorrow would be a mess, screwing up the chances of her being a couple with another guy. He knew fully well his wish was unlikely, but pinned his hopes that somehow, miracles do exist. At least, just for that one day – just for him.


End file.
